Relief valve



Feb. 14, 1950 F, BANNER 72,497,2.l

RELIEF VALVE Filed sept. 16, 1946 www@ Patented Feb. 14, 1950 RELIEF VALVE Francis L. Banner= Decatur, Ill.,` assignor to Mueller Co., Decatur, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application September 16, 1946, Serial No. 697,177

9 Claims. l

This invention relates to valves designed to effect fluid relief when predetermined limits-of temperature and pressure are exceeded. A principal object of the invention is to provide a relief valve which is easily assembled in its entirety and in particular as to the heat responsive actuating element. Another object is to provide a structure in which the heat responsive element is positioned so as to be normally out of contact with the heated fluid but in the path of flow of the heated fluid when relief occurs. Another object is to provide a simple and compact combined pressure and temperature responsive relief valve.

The invention is shown in illustrative embodiment in the drawing in which:

Figure l is an axial section of the valve.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 shows a movable valve part in plan.

Reference numeral 5 generally designates a housing comprising a top part 6 and a bottom part] with opposed circular ilanges 8 and 9 secured together by bolts lll and clamping between them a diaphragm I I.

The lower portion 1 has an axially extending terminal neck II' defining an inlet port I2 and provided with external threads I3 for the mounting of the valve as a whole in use. Inwardly of port I 2 is a generally cylindrical partition portion I4 spaced from the generally cylindrical peripheral wall' I5, portion I4 being joined top and bottom with the outer wall by horizontal partition portions I6 and I1 so that, in conjunction with the diaphragm. there is provided an inlet chamber I8. An outlet chamber I9 is defined by portions I4, I5 and I1, and has an outlet port I9.

Wall portion I1 is provided with a threaded bore Il'vsmaller than and aligned with inlet I2,

and wall I6 is provided with a threaded bore I5' aligned with bore I1' and the inlet bore. Threaded in bore I6 is a ring member 20 which provides a valve seat 2I faced toward the dlaphragm. f

The diaphragm has an axial opening whose margins are clamped between pressure plates 22- and 23, the latter being constituted as a nutthreaded on a downwardly projecting boss 'porn tion 24 of plate 22. A ycompression spring 25 surrounds an upward extension` 26 of plate 22 and bears against the latter at its lower end, the upper end of the spring bearing against an abutment 21 whose top is engaged by. a hollow screw 28 in turn engaged in a threaded axial bore of housing portion 6. The action of spring 25 is limited by the engagement of nut 23 with lugs I5' there is provided a lost motion connection be 2 which project inwardly from the upper portion of Wall I5. The head 29 of the screw 28 is protested by a guard in the form of an inverted cup 3!) which is freely rotatable on housing portion 6 relative to the head so that once the screw has" Ibeen adjusted, the adjustment cannot be altered without removing the guard. A rod 3| has its lower end swiveled to the top of extension 26 by means of a coupling member 32, the rod extending upwardly through screw 28 and a bore in the top of guard 30, theaprojecting extremity being pivoted by means of a pin 33 to a handle 34 having a cam portion 35 cooperable with the top of the guard 30. It will be evident that by swinging the handle counter-clockwise, Figure 1, the diaphragm can be lifted for test purposes.

Reference numeral 36 generally designates a movable valve member cooperative with seat 2l. The Valve member comprises a stem 31 which is guided for reciprocation in the seat ring 20. In Figure 3, the stem is -shown as being of square section, guiding contact being provided by the corners of the square while four ilow passages 38 are provided between the sides of the square and the bore 20' of ring 20.' The stem 31 includes a reduced upwardly extending threaded portion 33 threaded into an axial bore of a head member 40 which is freely sli'dable in a bore 4I of pressure plate 22, the lower portion of the head being expanded to provide a cup receiving a gasket which is perforated to pass the threaded extension 39 of the stem portion 31 and is clamped' against the top of the latter. The head portion 40 has a diametrical'bore tightly receiving a pinl 43 whose ends are slidingly received in diametricated in Figure 1, when the parts are in normal relation, l. e., nut 23 ,engaging lugs I5' and valve member 33 seated byg-a relatively light compression spring 40' in the upper part of bore 40. Thus,

tween the valve 36 and the diaphragm I I, permitting limited movement of the valve relative to the diaphragm and of the diaphragm relative to the' valve, as conditions require. The arrangement in many respects is like that shown in the patent to J. M. Wilkins, No. 2,074,292, March 16, 1937.

Sylphon, 45 to the upper end of which is se- Threaded in the bore I1' is an annular fitting 44 to the top of which is fixed a bellows, or

3 48 of stem 31 with a predetermined clearance between the top of the stud and the top wall of the bore, the bellows being of a size to be passed through a bore il in assembly. Thus, stud 4'! has a one-way engagement with valve 36. Projecting downwardly from ntting 44, in communication through the fitting with the interior of the bellows, is a tube lil which projects rectilinearly through the inlet port for subjection, vwhen the valve is mounted, to the heat of the fluid to be controlled. The bellows and tube are lled with a sensitively heateexpansible fluid and the lower end 50 of the tube is closed in any suitable manner. It will be evident that in assembly the heatn expansible unit is positioned bypassing the bellows through the inlet port and bore ll" to engage the stud fil in the bore d8, and the. fitting 44, which is passable through the inlet port, is threaded into bore l 'l' to form a seal therewith.

In use, thc bellows is normally protected from contact with the heated huid by 'the closed valve 36; When tube subjected to excessive heat the bellows wiil and when stud engages the top of bore the valve member will be lifted against the yforce of spring without interference from 25, this being permitted by the clearance above the ends of the springs 43. As soon as the valve starts to the escaping hot fluid contacts bellowsV i5 with an accelerated expanding eiect on the latter so that valve member 3S is quickly opened for full relief.

Upon the occurrence of excessive pressure, the lost motion vcrnmection between the diaphragm and valve member will taire efect to lift the valve member without in any way aiecting the bellows. Due to the lost motion connection, the occurrence ci slight over-pressures will not aiect valve member m The stud and bore 48 .are

wir. engaged for a sufficient height so that they Will not separate upon maximum liftl o1 the diaphragm.

The disclosure is given as illustrative.

of the invention which is susceptible of variations in the form and relation ci parts within the scope of the claims which follow. Y

claim: 1. A relief valve comprising a housing includa removable top part and a lower part having-an inlet port and an outlet port, partition meansdividing the interior of the lower part into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, an opening in' the partition means 'havingl a surrounding margin on the inlet side of the partition means providing an upwardly facing valve seat, an upwardly movable valve member normally engaging said-seat, a bellows below said valve in'the'outlet chamber exposed to flow therethrough, said 'hele lows 'having its lower end rigidly connected to and supported by the lower housing and being disposed with its axis of expansion substantially aligned with said opening, an abutment on the upper end of vthe bellows adjacent said opening having a one-way engagement with .said'valve member to unseat thesame' when the.' bellows expands, and a tube communicating at 'one end with the 'l wer of the bellows andprojecting through the inlet port, the other end of the tube being closed and the tube and bellows being lled with an expansible fluid, said valve being removable for replacement or repair, when the top housing part is removed, without disturbing, the bellows and the tube. 2. A relief valve comprising a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port, partition means dividing the housing interior into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, an opening in the partition means having a surrounding margin on the inlet side of the partition means providing a valve seat, a movable valve member normally engaging said seat, another opening in said partition means, a bellows in the outlet chamber exposed to flow therethrough, a tting at one end of they bellows sealed in said other opening and serving t-o support the bellows, means between the other end of the bellows and said valve member for communicating expanding movement of the bellows to the valve member to unseat the same, and

la tube communicating at one end with the belan eXpan-sible duid.

3. A relief valve comprising a housing having anfinlet vport and an outlet port, partition meansy dividing the housing interior into an inlet cham- 'oer and an outlet. chamber, an opening in the partition means having a surrounding margin, on the inlet side of the partition means providing a valve seat, a movable Valve member normally engaging said seat, another opening in said parti-- tion means, said other opening being substantially aligned with the first opening, a Vbellows in the outlet chamber exposed to flow therethrough, a fitting at one end of the bellows sealed inv said opening and serving to support the bellows for expansion toward the nrst opening, an abutment on the other end of the bellows engaging said valve member to unseat the same when the .bel-1 lows expands, and a tube communicating at one- 5. A relief valve comprising a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port, partition means dividing the housing interior into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, an opening the partition means having a surrounding margin on the inlet Aside of the partition means providing a valve seat, a. movable valve member normally engaging said seat, said movable valve member including a stem slidable in said opening for, guiding said valve member for reciprocation, al

ow channel between the stem and the surrounding wall of the opening, a bellows in the outlet `chamber exposed to flowl therethrough, said bellows being aligned with said stem and engaging the` latter upon expansion to unseat the valve member, and a tube communicating at one end y with the bellows and projecting through the inlet port. the other end of the tube being closed and the tube and bellows being lled with an` expansible iluid. 6. Structure according to claim l'wherein the housing includes a spring-loaded diaphragm havY .ing a lost motion connection with. said valve memv` ber whereby to unseat the same upon subjection of the diahphragm to excessive pressure, vsaid connection providing a free range of movement for the valve member relative to the diaphragm .I 'under the unseating action ofA said bellows.

7. A relief valve comprising a housing includ ing two parts and a diaphragm clamped therebetween, one of said parts having an inlet port and and outlet port and partition means serving with said diaphragm to define an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber in said one of said parts, said partition means including a partition opposite the diaphragm provided with an opening having a surrounding margin opposed to the diaphragm and constituting a valve seat, spring means in said other part urging the diaphragm toward said seat, means limiting the action of said spring means, a. movable valve member normally engaging said seat, a lost-motion connection between said diaphragm and valve member, whereby the diaphragm and valve member lare free to move relative to each other, another opening in said partition means opposite the rst, a. bellows in the outlet chamber exposed to flow therethrough, a. tting at one end of the bellows sealed in said second opening and serving to support the bellows for expansion toward the first opening, an abutment on the other end of the bellows engaging said valve member to unseat the same by lost motion relative to said diaphragm when the bellows expands, and a tube communicating at one end with the bellows through said tting and projecting through said inlet port, the other end of the tube being closed and the tube and bellows being filled with an expansible fluid.

8. Structure Iaccording to claim 7 wherein the inlet port is on the opposite side of said other opening from the rst opening and said tube projects rectilinearly therethrough.

9. Structure according to claim 3 wherein the inlet port is on the opposite side of said other opening from the rst opening and said tube projects rectilinearly therethrough, said bellows being of a size to be passed through said inlet port and said other opening to the outlet chamber, and said fitting being of a size to be passed through said inlet port and being threaded in said other opening.

FRANCIS L. BANNER.

V REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,035,512 Smith Mar. 31, 1936 2,074,292 Wilkins Mar. 16, 1937 2,223,115 McDermott Nov. 26, 1940 2,400,615 Warrick et al. May 21, 1946 

